Cruise Intervals

I wasn't really sure what workout I was going to do today and I actually made it up as I went along. All I knew was that I wanted to target something around my lactate threshold.

I ended up running 3 x 2400m on the track with a 400m jog recovery between each interval. I averaged 10:37.2 for each (7:05/mile) and my recovery jogs were around 2:45. My only complaint is that it's starting to get warm again. I started the workout at 11am, and it's probably the last time I'll be able to start a workout after 10am until October. The heat was really beginning to have a negative effect on my running the last 2400m. I also need to pay extra close attention to my hydration again. Summer is on it's way :(

Feeling like a runner again

I had a good long quality workout on the track this morning and with the warm up and cool down I totaled 10.5 miles. Which makes it one of the longest workouts I've done in a while. The weather was nice (a little breezy but not bad) and I am finally feeling like a runner again.

After my standard 2 mile warm up I did 4 miles on the track at 86-90% of my HR, a 400m jog, 1 mile @ 86-90% of my max HR, 400m jog, and 1 mile @ 86-90% of my max HR.

I ran the 4 mile threshold run in 27:50 (6:54-7:01-6:55-6:59) and my average HR was 89% of my max (172 bpm) and then my mile reps were 6:53 and 6:59 with my average HR at 88% and 87%, respectively. I finished it off with a 2 mile cool down on the roads.

All in all it was a good workout.

Running Fast Again

My original plan was to run 8 x 800m today, however, the weather had different plans for me. With it being windy and cold I decided to do a little repetition work so that I didn't have to run into a headwind for a significant amount of time.

After my standard 2 mile warm up with strides, I ended up running 12 x 250m w/100m jog + 50m walk. My goal was to run around 50-seconds per rep (5:20 mile pace). This is my first true repetition workout since last summer and that fastest I've run in a workout in a LONG time.... so I didn't have real high expectations. I ended up averaging 50.9-seconds per rep and 1:18.7 on the recovery. This type of workouts are no my speciality and definately not a workout I like to do (other than the fact it's over quickly). The workout was a bit easier than I expected it to be and I was pleased with the results given the conditions.

Total of 6.25 miles for the workout.

Threshold

Today was my first true workout since the Half-Marathon. After a 1.95 mile warm up I did a 4 Mile Threshold Run on the roads using my heart rate monitor. I set my limits at 86% and 90% of my max heart. I've noticed this usually gets me pretty close to my lactate threshold and since I haven't done a quality workout in a while, I figured this would help me keep things under control.

I ran my first 2.15-miles in 14:51.4 (6:54/mile) and my last 1.85-miles in 12:21.6 (6:40/mile) for a total time of 27:13.0 (6:48/mile). I was pretty pleased with it, but this was also the pace I ran for the 10k on Saturday. It makes me wonder if I ran too hard today, or if I ran too easy on Saturday. Either way, it was a good first quality workout.

I'm looking at running some 800m repeats on Friday or Saturday. Hopefully those go as well as today did.

Back in the Groove

I would classify the past two weeks as a full return to running. I've run 47 miles each of the past two weeks with some weight training and time on the bike/elliptical both weeks.

I ran the Bayou City Classic 10k yesterday and ran 42:17.2 (6:49.2/mile). I was quite pleased with the results, considered I've only averaged 36 mpw during the past 6 weeks with NO quality workouts. My goal was to run under 43:40 (7:00/mile) and not have any mile slower than 7:10. I ended up running my first two miles in 6:45 each. A bit faster than what I wanted to do and I wasn't feeling great, but I figured I'd go with this and see what happened. I ran my first 5k in 21:06 and closed in 21:10. I thought I would run my last 5k faster, as I was able to pick up the pace and passed quite a few people. But I guess that was because everyone else was slowing down quite a bit. It was a good run and I'm pleased with it. I've decided to focus my training on the 5k/10k throughout the summer and I'll start preparing for a marathon next winter. I may run a half-marathon this summer when I vacation to Hawaii, but I'm not going to prepare for that as vigorously as I did the Half in January.

This morning I did a two hour workout that mixed running and biking. I've been wanting to do this for a while, but never got around to it as I'm usually too busy. But I drove out the the Hunters Camp off of 4 Notch Rd in the Sam Houston National Forest. I dropped my bike off with some water and an energy bar. I drove back to my house and proceeded to run the 10.25 mile route out to the Hunters Camp. It took my 1:20:30 to run out there (7:51/mile). Once I got there I spent about 5 minutes re-hydrating and eating my energy bar. I hopped on the bike and rode back home. It took me about two hours for the round trip which was a pretty good workout. With the nicer weather it's much easier to get out and spend a good amount of time outdoors. I hope to do some kayaking as well here in the next few weeks.

Barely Getting By

My training since the Half-Marathon has admittedly been sub-par, at best. After 4 weeks of ~30 miles I was finally able to break out of the funk and get a decent week of training. I managed 47 miles with most runs being 7-8 miles in duration (I did get a 10 miler in Sunday morning). I'm hoping to keep this going until the end of March and I'll bump my mileage back up to 60 mpw during the month of April.

I did register for the Bayou City 10k this coming Saturday in Houston. I'm not expecting a whole lot, just to get a good marker of what kind of shape I'm in at the moment. If it's not too bad, I'll registered for a full-marathon this summer.